Handlamp switch



oct. 16,1923. 1,471,185

L. A. MILLER HANDLMI;J sw-ITGH Filed July 15 1921 y:ses

Patented oct. 16, 1923.

g juNrrE-of ,STATES rArrENr:forrlcegii "genis @mins-n, crusty" I gPEATING. Aims op., `o1'j NEWHiAvEN, oonNncrrcUnfA c z'oRroitterroir"orvcoitnieuwe.'

Taal?, whom 'it muyconaerm'.. f 'Be it vknown thatl, LoU1s.A...M1LLER, acitizenhof the United. States, residing. .at New Haven',y intheweomtyorti New..Haven, State of Connecticfut, have invented .certain new and,useful flmprovemer-its.yy in...Handlamp Switches and: L do .hereby,declare the .follofwing tobe a' full,.c.lear, and? exact. descriptionVvofi the.- invention.= sucht` as. will .enable others skilled inthefart to which itiapperf' f opening, throughy .Whichnthe .button.shank extends.. The shank `fis. ,provided .with .annui- .1an ribs 12andl.onoppositesidesof the tains, to-made and userthe same...A .l 4..My.inventionnisfan improvement in .the switches of battery hand..lamps.. I .In the usual constructionp such ..liandlamps,. .thereireuitof. the lampis controlled .by aiswitch usually ,including a:push v.louttoni supported ,inf inoperative .position ,by f a springland adapted to be depressed toclose L' the .cire-uit. 'Unless careris.exeroisedin thedisposalof the lamp when notizn use,..the .circuit may4be `accidentally closed, .with .consequent vaste of. current` andrapidexbaustion offzthe bat.- tery.' vIn the use of such lamps, there isoften occasion.. for a,-steadynlight, .Without atten- .tion on! thevpart of the y.usen With the push button .type ofswitch, which4 becauseyof sm- .pie construction. ease ooperation and-.abil- .iity to:lwithstandxrough usage, is .the pref fel-'red type; the switch must .be.heldA .Closed `when a steady light .is desired.| The ,object ofN theYpresent..invention .is to provide.. imiproved mechanism in connectionwitlnthe switch by. means otqvhifh theswitch may be locked in eitheropen or` closed position, against rpossibilfi/tyrofr accidental.displacement.

In the drawings: f

Figure 1' is a side view of a usual form of battery handL lamp.

y Figure 2 is a plan view with parts in section', f

Figures 3 and 4 are partial side views and with Figure 1, show the threepositions of the switch locking mechanism,

Figures 5 and 7 are sections on the lines 5 5 and 7 7 of Figure 3,Figure 6 is a. section ony the line 6 6 of F igure 4. f

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with abattery hand lamp of the vest pocket type, comprising a case 1 having`at one end a socket 2 for receiving the bulb 3, and having at the othera hinged door 4 for'permitting the insertion and removal of the batteryindicated at 5.

y-pplication-'tiled July 415, 1921. Serial No; 484,844. Y

tormerncontacting.with:the bulb, While the otherisadaptedto be.engagedbya Switch, tn be- ,descrbedg.f.or closing. the. circuitthroughthelam ,f The switch-inelufdesabutton lextending .througha-'nopening4 .9 in. .thee-ase7 and. SupportedA byv .a plate. for, leafSpring; 10, rigidly secured at.. one. .end to. the: ease. as indicated;et yvll, andhaving at theothen end .a .bearing spring, for preventingdisplacement thereof, and the spring normallyholds ythe buttonin outward.position .andout` of Contact. with the contact plate. 7.; ,Thecircuitofthe lamp isA closed by. dep'nessing,l .the button., t0 cause .thel.inner .end thereof. .to ,engagethe .contact plate 7..of..the hatterym.f. With this arrangement, when thejhand lamp yis placed` inthe pocket.for instenceg 01 in any otherpositionwhere the button might .engage withanother ,obj ect, f the, button ,may be accidentally. depressed, t0.close .the circuit .through thelamp.. i This :results in rapidexhaustion of .the batterykmflo prevent such waste .ofcurrenn .mechanismis ,provided .QI ,locking the switch in :open position.

The .said mechanism ,is-inthe..frrrl...0fI a slide: 14,.: having guided?movement,..l.ongitur .dinallyof thecase 1g. and .encirclingthe lint-;ton.z...'lly`he'.slide,.mhichr is.l in .theiformof an .escuteheom is.slidably connected IWith .the case .inianv suitable .mannen .f as. 01'.installe@ by lugs 15 at the sides ofthe slide,` which extend throughslots `16 in the case. The slide has a longitudinal slot or passage 17through which the button extends, and this slot is of key hole shape asshown in Figures 1, 3 and 4. The Widest portion of the slot is of adiameter corresponding substantially to that of the diameter of thebutton, While the narrowest part is of less width than the diameter ofthe button, and the button is annularly grooved as shown at 18 to permitthe slide to move forwardi While the button is inits `outer position.When the button is in the narroivest part of the slot, the oppositesides of the slot engage Within the annular groove, effectively lockingthe button from movement in eitherv direction, and when the button isdepressed so that the slide will move over the button, the sides 19 ofthe narrower portion of the slot will move above loek the saine indesired position. The loeling device may he oi erated by the "hunih iV/#in .irl 1, 11 a, if 19:0. l .1 i rn pars Ln in pinion oi Urine l, thebutton is tree to move inward or outvfard. To leek the syvitrh in openposition. it is only necessaryv to push the s. the bulb, this positionthe parts being shovrn in Figures 3 and tins 19 noiv enter the annulareroove TS the button is looked in open iliosition l t for any reason itisdesired to lrve a steady light. the button may he deprI and with thesame linger or thumb the l n slipped downwardly to brine' theivings ortins above the button, as shoivn in Figures el. and G. rThe siviteh isnow locked in operative position, and the lamp vfill ourn steadilj,vuntil the switch is released. 'To unlock in either position. .it is onlyneces-...nfs to slide the plate inwardly.

My improved siviteh mecha iisrn has been shovvn applied to a hand lampot .the tint or vest pocket type, but it vvill 4ot' Course he understoodthat it is equally applicable to the `Qo-ealled tubular ease and toeases oother design.

l claim:

1. A Contacty device tor battery hand lamps, comprisingl aspringeontrolled push button manuallj.v operable troni open-Circuit toclosed-circuit position. andv a slideinovable longitudinally ot the lampsurrounding said push button and adapted to engage the upper surtaee otsaid push button ivhen in Closed circuit position. to retain the sainein such position, said pnsh button .having a single `groove engageableby said slide when said push button is in open circuity position toretain the samey in such position, said push button and slide beingarranged so that they may be actuated as desired by the thumb of onehand alone.

2. A Contact. device for battery hand lamps, eoinpri..n;r a lea'tspring, a push button mounted thereon, and a slidable lookingr memberhaving; a keyhole .slot adapted to .fm-friet with the top ot ,said pushbutton, said push button having a Ile eireumterential groove adapted tolie engaged by the edges ot the slot in the locking member. said pushbutton and locking member being arranged so that they inay be :ietuatodas desired by the thumb ol one hand alone to flash the lamp by pressingthe push button through the large potion ot the keyhole slotr and tolork the push hntton in elo l Cireuit position or in open circuit:position hy moving the slide until the edges ot the keyhole slot engagethe push button, substantially described.

A Contact device tor battery hand laups ernipisinsj a slide in the'torni ot an eseuteheon arranged torguidel inmement longitunlinally otthe lamp easing4 and having a keyhole slot therein. a leaf springr fixedat one end to the handlamp easing, a push button mounted on the tree endot the spring and extendinq through the hand lamp easingr and thekeyhole slot in the slide, said p ii button havin;T .a single lgroove.engage able by the narroiv portion ot saidA keyhole slot., said pushbutton and slide beingr arranged so that they may he readily manipulatedas desired by the thumb ot one hand alone, to tlash the lamp, to pressthe push button into Closed circuit position and move the slide over thetop thereof, to move the `slide until the narrow portion of' the slottherein engages the groove in the push button, or to release the pushbutton after it has been loekedin open or closed circuitI position.

In testimony Whereot` I affix my signature.

LOUIS A. MILLER.

(lll

